Sports

Cupertino: Best runners, throwers, jumpers in CCS Top 8

By Mike Barnhart, for Silicon Valley Community Newspapers

Posted:
04/16/2014 06:05:29 PM PDT

Updated:
04/16/2014 06:05:29 PM PDT

Most of the best runners, throwers and jumpers from throughout the central coast region are expected to compete at the 34th annual Top 8 Track and Field Classic, slated for April 18 at San Jose City College.

The meet typically draws the region's best high school track and field talent, because the athletes can see how they stack up to the competition prior to the league finals, which begin three weeks later.

With San Jose City hosting the Central Coast Section championships in May, this year's Top 8 Classic will give athletes an opportunity to try out the track in advance.

Lynbrook distance ace Grant Robison, just a sophomore, will have to decide whether to run varsity or frosh-soph. His fifth-place run at the Stanford Invitational mile of 4:19.91 converts to a 4:18.41 in the 1,600 meters and ranks second in the CCS only to Saratoga's Steven Sum. But back on March 28 he qualified second in the boys portion of the Frosh-Soph Classic. He ran 4:34 that night. He also was the top 3,200 qualifier at 9:43.

A couple of Fremont girls, junior Sabina Dayal and sophomore J.J. Escalera, are eligible to compete at the Top 8 meet. Dayal's triple jump of 35-0 ranked eighth in the CCS and Escalera's time in the 800 of 2:19.48 also was eighth in the CCS best marks as of April 7.

Advertisement

Escalera and Dayal were big reasons the Firebirds finished second in the varsity girls portion of the Quicksilver Classic at Leland on April 5. Escalera won the 1,600 and the 800 races, while Dayal finished first in the long jump and second in the triple jump.

Zinola sets record

Miranda Zinola is smaller than many of her competitors, but her strength and technique have helped her hurl the discus farther than any other freshman girl in Homestead school history.

Competing in the JV portion of the Mustangs' dual meet with visiting Wilcox on April 9, Zinola heaved the platter 101-3, eight feet better than the previous school record. Of course, her throw earned first place in the meet. It could have won the varsity meet that day ... by more than 20 feet!